In this classic novel, James A. Michener brings his grand epic tradition to bear on the four-hundred-year saga of America’s Eastern Shore, from its Native American roots to the modern age. In the early 1600s, young Edmund Steed is desperate to escape religious persecution in England. After joining Captain John Smith on a harrowing journey across the Atlantic, Steed makes a life for himself in the … the New World, establishing a remarkable dynasty that parallels the emergence of America. Through the extraordinary tale of one man’s dream, Michener tells intertwining stories of family and national heritage, introducing us along the way to Quakers, pirates, planters, slaves, abolitionists, and notorious politicians, all making their way through American history in the common pursuit of freedom.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from James A. Michener’s Hawaii.
Praise for Chesapeake
“Another of James Michener’s great mines of narrative, character and lore.”—The Wall Street Journal
“[A] marvelous panorama of history seen in the lives of symbolic people of the ages . . . An emotionally and intellectually appealing book.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Michener’s most ambitious work of fiction in theme and scope.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Magnificently written . . . one of those rare novels that is enthusiastically passed from friend to friend.”—Associated Press
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This book gives a history of the Chesapeake bay region beginning even before the settlement of Maryland as a Catholic colony. Having been raised on the Western shore, just one generation from my Eastern shore heritage, I found the lifestyles of the different classes fascinating. The owners of sailing vessels doing trade with Europe, living next to …
I missed this when it first came out; so I’m happy it appeared on BookBub!
A Michener book never disappoints, and I admire the research he did to create all his stories. They are long, but time well-spent.
Years ago my mother and I always shared what we read and then talked about the book. Years before bookclubs we always had each other to share our love of reading. My mother introduced me to James Michener with Hawaii. My favorite of Michener’s books is Chesapeake. Like all of Michener’s books it takes awhile to get going but then you are part of …
This book has such rich detail. You open it and you are transported there. Michener’s writing has the ability to draw you in and make you a part of his characters’ lives.
Learned about Maryland from beginning to right now. Had no idea history was so fascinating.
This is what Minchner does best and hardly another can match him.
Fairly typical of Michner. His fictional histories of countries or areas of the world all have a particular consistency. They are well written, interesting, filled with fun characters, and are, for the most part, very accurate in depicting the history, even it the characters themselves are fictional. The problem is that after reading about ten of …
Excellent. Mitchner, hard to beat.
Michener always has a way to make you feel like you are right there experiencing history itself
Mitchner – always a good and worthwhile read.
I’m from that area and I love the way Michener covers a subject.
It was magnificent. Everything he writes is.
Fascinating history of the area. Extremely well researched
If you want to learn everything about any region, look for a James Michener book. Meticulously researched, the background and the characters are interwoven to present the facts and the human stories so you feel a connection to the Chesapeake.
one author who never disappoints!
Wondering history surrounding the Chesapeake Bay.
I learned so much about the history of the Chesapeake Bay.
when I was born we lived on the Chesapeake bay. I still have family there. this book was wonderful ! it tells the story of the bay and the peoples that have lived there…I love it!!
This is one of Michener’s best.
Everything he has written is great